Procurement / 02
Modernise the equipment without replacing blindly.
A refresh that replaces everything of the same age replaces a lot of equipment that was working perfectly well. Reviewing by requirement is slower to plan and considerably cheaper to buy.
- REVIEW
- REPLACE
- STANDARDISE
- SPECIFY
- SUPPLY
Refresh sequence
Seven steps, in order.
Each step narrows the quantity. By the time a specification is defined, the number of units being purchased is usually noticeably smaller than the number originally assumed.
- REVIEW REQUIREMENTS Establish what the equipment is being asked to do now, which is rarely what it was bought for.
- IDENTIFY REPLACEMENT NEED Separate equipment that has genuinely reached its limit from equipment that is simply old.
- STANDARDISE WHERE APPROPRIATE Agree a repeatable build where the roles are similar enough to justify it.
- DEFINE SPECIFICATION Turn the replacement need into something that can be sourced and compared.
- CONFIRM QUANTITIES Establish how many units are actually required, and in what order.
- SOURCE PRODUCTS Identify available equipment against the specification and timeframe.
- COORDINATE SUPPLY Confirm the order and the delivery arrangements agreed for it.
Replacement signals
Six reasons that justify replacement.
Age on its own is not one of them. These are the signals that indicate the equipment has genuinely reached the end of its useful position.
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CAPABILITY
The machine can no longer run what the role requires.
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SUPPORT POSITION
Software or firmware support has moved on past the hardware.
-
RELIABILITY
Failures have become frequent enough to cost working time.
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ROLE CHANGE
The work has changed; the equipment has not.
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INCONSISTENCY
Too many variants to support or specify against sensibly.
-
CONNECTIVITY
Ports and standards no longer match everything else on the desk.
Text version: replacement signals
CAPABILITY: The machine can no longer run what the role requires. SUPPORT POSITION: Software or firmware support has moved on past the hardware. RELIABILITY: Failures have become frequent enough to cost working time. ROLE CHANGE: The work has changed; the equipment has not. INCONSISTENCY: Too many variants to support or specify against sensibly. CONNECTIVITY: Ports and standards no longer match everything else on the desk.
Technology refresh
Replace what has aged.
Keep what still works.
A refresh programme that replaces everything on the same date is usually replacing a quantity of equipment that did not need replacing. Reviewing by requirement is slower to plan and considerably cheaper to buy.
- 01 CURRENT ENVIRONMENT What is in place now, and what is actually causing the problem.
- 02 REQUIREMENT What the role needs the equipment to do next.
- 03 REPLACEMENT What genuinely needs replacing, and what does not.
- 04 STANDARD A repeatable specification where one makes sense.
- 05 SUPPLY Confirmed equipment, confirmed quantity, confirmed order.
Categories typically reviewed
- LAPTOPS
- DESKTOPS
- MONITORS
- STORAGE
- SERVERS
- NETWORKING
- MEETING ROOMS
- PERIPHERALS
Text version: refresh sequence
A five-stage sequence: CURRENT ENVIRONMENT (what is in place now, and what is actually causing the problem), REQUIREMENT (what the role needs the equipment to do next), REPLACEMENT (what genuinely needs replacing, and what does not), STANDARD (a repeatable specification where one makes sense) and SUPPLY (confirmed equipment, quantity and order).
Categories typically reviewed: laptops, desktops, monitors, storage, servers, networking, meeting rooms and peripherals.
Before and after, in context
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Equipment nearing end of life -
Position being brought up to standard -
Current-generation position
Technology enquiry
What has actually aged?
Tell us what is in place, what is causing problems and how many positions are affected.
- CURRENT ESTATE
- PROBLEM
- QTY
- STANDARD
- TIMEFRAME
- BUDGET